Michael O’Flaherty, CoE Commissioner for Human Rights, Visits Georgia
Michael O’Flaherty, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, is visiting Georgia “to engage with government, authorities, and civil society on a range of important human rights concerns,” as he wrote on social media on April 13.
The visit comes amid the Georgian Dream government’s continued crackdown on dissent, including opposition, civil society organizations and media, and a deteriorating human rights situation.
The meetings began on April 14, with O’Flaherty first holding talks with representatives of civil society organizations, who spoke to journalists afterward about the issues discussed.
“The human rights situation in Georgia, the situation of civil society organizations, how they are able to work, under what conditions, and whether they are continuing their work [were discussed],” Giorgi Kldiashvili, head of the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), said.
“We provided information on the repressive environment in which civil society organizations and media have to operate. This included discussions on selective justice, where violence against journalists is not investigated, as well as the [state media] regulator’s selective use of legislation restricting funding against media outlets with critical editorial policies,” Tamar Kintsurashvili of Media Development Foundation (MDF) said.
“We discussed with the Commissioner the current state of human rights in the country, including restrictive legislative acts that relate both to the shrinking space for civil society and to journalists’ operational space, as well as to protests,” Tamar Oniani of Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) said, adding that issues addressed also included “the effectiveness of investigations into cases involving systemic torture and the use of unknown chemical substances against demonstrators.”
Commissioner O’Flaherty then met with Levan Ioseliani, the Public Defender of Georgia.
Ioseliani described the meeting as “very important,” saying the discussions with the Commissioner focused on the “overall human rights situation in Georgia.” He said the Commissioner was interested in the Ombudsman’s work and his 2025 human rights report. He added that one of the issues discussed was “the general situation of organizations in Georgia” and “the latest legislative package of amendments adopted in parliament,” supposedly referring to amendments to Georgia’s Law on Grants that further tightened restrictions and penalties on recipients of foreign funding.
On April 14, the Commissioner also met with Georgian Dream Interior Minister Geka Geladze.
Geladze presented “detailed information regarding both the activities of the Ministry and priority directions, as well as about ongoing and implemented reforms,” the Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a press release, adding that the meeting also addressed the human rights situation in Georgia and issues of future cooperation between MIA and the Council of Europe.
On April 15, Commissioner O’Flaherty met with Georgian Dream Reconciliation Minister Tea Akhvlediani. According to the press release, they discussed the human rights and humanitarian situation in Georgia’s occupied regions.
Commissioner O’Flaherty then also held a meeting with GD Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili.
“During the meeting, the parties discussed key issues of cooperation, ongoing developments in the country and steps taken to protect human rights,” MFA Georgia said in a press release. The ministry added that Botchorishvili briefed the commissioner on what it described as the severe security, humanitarian and human rights situation in the Russian-occupied territories.
“The minister emphasized the need to keep the Russia-Georgia conflict high on the international agenda, including within the Council of Europe, and highlighted the importance of the secretary-general’s consolidated reports,” the statement said.
The ministry also said that, as part of his visit, O’Flaherty visited the occupation line near the village of Odzisi and a settlement for internally displaced persons in Tserovani.
On April 15, O’Flaherty also met with the GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, with the talks focusing on cooperation between Georgia and the Council of Europe and the implementation of the 2024–2026 Human Rights Action Plan.
According to the government administration, Kobakhidze “once again reaffirmed the Georgian government’s strong commitment to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.” It added that “media pluralism, as well as freedom of speech and expression, are ensured in the country and are guaranteed by the Constitution of Georgia and its legislation.”
The statement said the sides also discussed the “difficult humanitarian situation in terms of human rights” in the occupied territories.
More to follow…
Also Read:
- 02/04/2026 – CoE Body Calls on Georgia to Repeal Laws Restricting Grants, Political Activity
- 02/02/2026 – CoE Commissioner Calls On Georgian Parliament to Reject New Funding Restrictions ‘Stifling Civil Society’
- 17/12/2025 – CoE Commissioner Presses Georgian Prosecutors on Accountability for Protest Crackdown
- 27/05/2025 – CoE Commissioner Urges Georgia to Curb Police Abuse, Revise Legislative Changes